She Saaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiddddddd
Im a happy boy today!
Who: Myself
Location: South east ireland
Time: 12am - 4am
Bait: Rag
Rigs: Pennels - on 6/o
Tide: High around 12
Wind: not too bad
Species: Bass Bass Bass Bass Bass Bass Bass
On a whim I decided to get some bait and head to a mark I had heard of. Not a great week in work so I was a bit fed up and headed off - pre ordered bait and collected.
I decided to stop at a local pier and crab bash for some extra flavour before high tide - the mark fishes down so I was in no hurry - arrived at 11 and collected about 10 crabs. One thing I noticed as I floated a self assembled cage thingy on some rocks was after a while I saw some MONSTEROUS crabs approach - although I didnt get any, these were HUGE. Maybe 3 feet across toe to toe.
Speaking to some nice youngsters heading down the pier for the shift, they said the place was covered in spider crabs - Is this unusual? They said a storm and unusual wind directions had brought them in. Either way the pot fishers in the area will be well sorted for claws.
So I head to my mark for about 12:30 - set up rod one and put out to my left. Set up rod 2 and put to the right.
Rod one goes just as I launch the 2nd. Bass on - Nice run, good scrap - fish landed. bout 4lbs lovely fish.
Reload
Rod one again - Same as before.
Reload
Rod one - Better fish, less of a fight, but still very happy - It's only about 1:15am
Reload
Rod one - Cracking bang off the rod, good thumping, strong surges, best fish of the night - Maybe 6lb?? But you know yourself, it was probably 5 - but could have been 6!!!
Reload
Rod one - Tripod goes over - rod heads for the waves, I thought this is it!! But realised I didnt set my drag - 4.5 lber
Reload
Rod one - Good bang - 4.5 not much effort after the initial thump
Reload
Rod one - Slow bend in the rod at first, im sure its weed, bit of a spring back - im not sure what to do now, I wait, nothing. Reel in to reset and get an indication - wait, and, wait, and, wait.... We are off again - 5lb's
I have never caught more than one bass on any given night apart from a schoolie mixed with a larger one. I was OVER THE MOON with my night - from 12:30 to 3am this went on.
I may have just hit the right spot with my first rod as my second got nothing except a miss, but it did go. I missed another 3 on the 1st rod. It really is true that 99% of the fish are in 1% of the water apparently!!!
Fished on from 3 - 4 and didnt even get a nibble - I wasnt complaining. Think I woke half the fishing world up with constant pics and " bet you wish you came now" messages!!
Drove home as the sun rose with a happy feeling you only get from nights like that - got in, had a beer and hit the hay and dreamt of fishing that mark for the rest of my days!!!!!!